Merry Christmas, Lawliet
by Mitsuuuu
Summary: It's a cold, Christmas night. Watari and a young Lawliet sit before an open fire. Fluff. Comfort. Cuteness, I guess. Oneshot.


An idea that came to mind and I figured that I could attempt to write it. It's pretty short and nothing special, but I had fun creating it.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

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**Merry Christmas, Lawliet**

Enveloped in the warmth emitted by the fireplace, Watari shifted the young child in his lap, ensuring with a quick glance that the boy's head was properly supported beneath his arm. Lawliet slipped his small hands from beneath the side of his face and tenderly grasped his handler's arm, wordlessly averting his darkly-rimmed eyes to the elderly man's face.

Watari gave him an affectionate smile. He gently carried his fingers through the child's hair. Lawliet turned his gaze from Watari to stare into the hearth, watching the random patterns of the tongues of fire as they swayed to and fro, consuming the firewood with ease. Watari, too, looked into the fireplace. He wondered what the boy found so marvelous about the fire.

He thumbed across Lawliet's cheek.

"Are your hands still cold, Lawliet?"

The child nodded a little.

Watari laughed shortly. He took the boy between his hands and sat him upright in his lap, easing his own form closer to the hearth. He felt tiny hands cling to his legs as they approached the fireplace, and he shook his head.

"Don't worry. It's okay. It won't hurt you as long as we keep our distance."

Watari lifted his hands to Lawliet's, taking them, tenderly, in a few fingers.

"Here."

The child turned his face to his handler as if to question him, but, nevertheless, Watari continued. He brought the boy's hands close to the warmth of the fire, holding them there. The boy started to object with a small noise of protest, but soon, he surrendered.

There was nothing wrong here.

Lawliet's round gaze looked to the fire with a different character in their dark hue. The most subtle traces of fear were replaced with awe and curiosity, even gratitude towards the flames. Watari rubbed the child's palms together and returned them in front of the fire.

Lawliet smiled.

"They're not cold anymore, Watari-san," he spoke softly.

The man smiled. "Good, Lawliet. I told you."

He lowered the child to the floor in front of the fireplace and stood.

"Stay here, now. I'll be back."

Lawliet kept his eyes on Watari until he became out of sight, then averted his gaze to the fire again.

So, this element called fire would not hurt him, as long as he kept his distance.

He could only wonder what else it could do.

Lawliet brought himself a little bit closer to the hearth. He felt a wave of warmth encircle and wash over him, felt his entire form lose every bit of cold. Lawliet brought his knees to his chest and his thumb to his mouth. His eyes were round, expressionless, and utterly peculiar as they focused on the fire.

He stared...stock still until Watari returned.

The man sat at his side.

His hand prodded at his shoulder and the child took a glance at him. He noticed something clasped in one of his hands, a stake of some sort with a sugary treat situated at one end.

A marshmallow.

Lawliet smiled and outstretched his hands.

"Watari-san."

The man handed it to the boy and smiled, leaning forward to help. Taking his smaller hands in his own, he aided him in guiding the marshmallow into the flames. Slowly, the sugary treat became engulfed. Its delicate form crinkled in surrender to the inferno, browning and caramelizing in the extreme heat.

Lawliet gave a little tug at the stake.

"Enough."

Watari helped in pulling it from the fire. Together, they blew out the flames.

Lawliet smiled. "Thank you, Watari-san."

"Yes, but be careful, Lawliet. It's hot."

The child acknowledged his words, but continued on anyways, taking a large bite from the marshmallow. Bits of the fluffy stuff smudged onto his nose and chin. Watari could only laugh at the naïve sight, using gentle fingers to wipe away the mess. Lawliet licked his lips and went on devouring the sweet treat, chewing in small, precise bites. His handler drew him close to his side, slipping an arm around his small frame. Lawliet looked and stared up at him, again, wordless.

Watari patted his side.

"You're alright…"

The boy swallowed, and continued eating.

From the day he had been brought to the orphanage, Lawliet had been a silent child, yet always an avid listener and watcher. Rarely was he seen socializing with other children or being reprimanded for excessive talking. Instead, he could be found watching others in his mysterious, dark gaze. His social skills were poor, but the boy was extremely intellectual.

He was just...different.

Parting from his thoughts, Watari glanced down at the boy. Lawliet had rested his head against his handler's side, the stake clasped between his small hands. Watari slid the object from his grasp and laid it on the ground beside him, stroking the boy's side.

"How did you like it, Lawliet?"

The child nodded. He licked his lips.

"Thank you, Watari-san."

"Yes, you're welcome." The elderly man smiled. Bringing his hand against Lawliet's back, he leaned down and whispered in the child's ear, "And...Merry Christmas."

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Review, please!


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